Device for rendering subsurface well apparatus inoperable



April 6, 1954 R. C BAKER ET AL DEVICE FOR RENDERING SUBSURFACE WELL APPARATUS INOPERABLE Original Filed Nov. 2 1948 REUBEN 6. BAKE/8,

MART/N B. Come/40,

1 N V EN TOR.

Ma MM A rrae/vsys Patented Apr. 6, 1954 DEVICE FOR RENDERING SUBSURFACE WELL APPARATUS INOPERABLE Reuben C. Baker, Coalinga, and Martin B. Conrad, Downey, Calif., assignors to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Vernon, Califi, a corporation of California Original application November 27, 1948, Serial No. 62,326. Divided and this application tober 20, 1951, Serial No. 252,262

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to well devices, and more particularly to subsurface equipment useful in performing operations in oil, gas and similar well bores.

This application is a division of our application, Serial No. 62,326, filed November 2'7, 1948, for Pressure Operated Well Apparatus, now Patent No. 2,637,402.

Certain types of apparatus, such as the well packer and setting tool combination illustrated in our above-identified parent application, are lowered in the well bore for the purpose of accomplishing desirable objectives therein, and also the release of the setting tool from the packer. Under certain conditions, it is desired to remove the apparatus from the well bore without setting the packer or accomplishing some other objective. However, upward movement of the running-in string to which the apparatus is secured may effect actuation of the apparatus.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire line device for setting or operating subsurface well equipment, which can be rendered inoperative whenever desired.

A further object of the invention is to pro-' vide a drag device for controlling the operation of subsurface well apparatus, in which the drag device can be prevented from functioning after having been lowered in the well bore, and while disposed in such well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide subsurface mechanically movable devices for actuating a well tool, in which such devices can be rendered inoperable by coupling them to a running-in string whenever desired; so as to enable the devices to be elevated without partaking of relative downward movement with respect to the running-in string.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a form of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through the upper lock portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the lock device being in an inefiective position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, in which the lock device has been actuated to couple a drag device to the running-in string;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line 4-4- on Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line 5-5 on Fig. 3.

The apparatus A disclosed in the drawings constitutes the upper portion of the equipment shown in the above-identified application, Serial No. 62,326, being secured to a wire line B, by means of which the entire combination of equipment is lowered through a well casing C, for the purpose of operating the lower portion of the equipment, which may be a setting tool and packer combination (not shown). As described fully in the above-identified parent application, the well packer is to be anchored in packed-01f condition in the well casing B, after which the setting tool is released from the anchored packer.

Operation of the setting tool and packer is accomplished by igniting a combustible fuel it contained within the upper cylinder head portion i i of the setting tool. The combustible charge it, such as a railway flare of cylindrical or stick form, is placed in this upper head end ii of the cylinder within a combustion chamber i2 formed therein. The charge is ignited by a blank cartridge I3 mounted in a gun barrel i l inserted within the upper end of the cylinder head. Leakage between the barrel and head is prevented by a suitable side seal l5 on the barrel engaging the wall of the head H.

The barrel is threaded intoa gun body it, that is threadedly secured to the upper end of the cylinder head ll. This body also contains a breechblock or cap I! threaded onto the upper end of the barrel l4, and having an inwardly directed flange l8 firmly engaging a thin metallic disc l9 bearing against the cap of the cartridge l3. In efiect, the breechblock clamps the disc l9 and cartridge cap to the gun barrel I4 in leakproof relation, to prevent leakage from the combustion chamber l2.

The cartridge I3 is fired by a pin whose tapered end 2| can enter a hole 22 in the breechblock H, to strike and indent the disc l2 and thereby fire the cartridge. The flame from the cartridge ignites the upper end of the combustible charge. or fusee, l0 and initiates its combustion, which then becomes self-sustaining. T

The tapered lower end 2| of the firing pin 26 extends downwardly from a flange or spring seat 23 integral with the firing pin, all elements of the firing pin being disposed within the gun body l6. A compressed helical spring 24 is disposed between the seat 23 and the upper end 25 of the central bore 26 through the body, this spring exerting suflicient force to shift the pin 20 downwardly and strike its end 2| against the thin disc IS, in order to fire the cartridge H.

The pin 20 extends upwardly within an elongate transverse slot 21 within the gun body I6, its upper end being formed with a shoulder or flange 28 adapted to be engaged by inwardly directed latch fingers 29 on the upper ends of latch levers 30 disposed in the body slot 21 and pivotally mounted on pins 3| supported in the body. The lower arms 32 of the levers 30 are urged in an outward direction, to maintain the latch fingers 29 engaged under the firing pin shoulder 28, by a tension Spring 33, whose opposite ends are connected to the upper ends of the latch levers. So long as the spring 33 holds the lower lever arms 32 outwardly and the latch fingers 29 under the firing pin shoulder 28, the firing pin 20 is maintained in elevated position above the disc l9 and cartridge l3, holding the firing spring 24 in a highly compressed condition.

The latch lever arms 32 are movable inwardly toward each other, to swing the fingers 29 outwardly from engagement; with the firing pin 20, allowing the firing spring 24 to move the point 2| of the pin downwardly and strike it against the disc I9. In the event that the point pierces the disc, rather than merely indents it, the downward movement of the pin is limited by engagement of its fiange23 with the upper nd of the breechblock I].

The upper end of the gun body I6 is threaded into a sinker bar 34, which may be of any suitable length, to provide suificient weight for forcing the entire apparatus through the well fiuid during its descent in the casing C. The upper end of the sinker bar is secured to a tubular sub 35 threaded into a rope socket 36 having a tapered bore 31 for the reception or the lower end of the wire line B. The wire line may be firmly secured in the socket by a plurality of internally wickered slips 38 forced against the socket by engagement of their tapered surfaces 39 with the companion internally tapered surface 31 of the enlarged rope socket bore. The threading of the sub 35 into the rope socket 36 causes the upper end of the former to bear against a ring 40 engaging the lower end of the slips 38, urging the latter upwardly within the socket and radially inwardly into firm gripping engagement with the wire line.

For the purpose of moving the latch lever arms 32 inwardly, a friction drag device 4| may be employed. This device includes upper and lower collars 42, 43 slidable along the wire line socket 36, sub 35, sinker bar 34 and gun body l6. The upper and lower ends of outwardly bowed drag springs 44 are suitably secured to these collars, as by means of screws 45. The springs 44 frictionally engage the wall of the well casing C, which tends to resist their movement therewithin. Nevertheless, the drag device 4| is forced through the well casing during lowering movement of the apparatus by engagement of a ring 46 on the sinker bar 34 with the lower drag collar 43. Upward movement of the wire line B, after the desired packer setting location has been reached in the well bore, moves the entire apparatus A, with the exception of the drag device 4|, upwardly within the casing C, pulling the latch levers 30 within the lower drag collar 43, and. causing the latter to shift the latch lever arms 32 inwardly and release the fingers 29 from the firing pin shoulder 28; whereupon the spring 24 is free to strike the pin end 2| against the disc l9 and fire the cartridge l3.

Actually, the entire apparatus is lowered in the well casing to a point below the desired setting location of the bridge plug (not shown). This distance below the desired location is the relatively short distance that the lower drag collar 43 must travel along the sinker bar 34 and gun body l6 to release the latch levers 36 from the firing pin 20. Accordingly, subsequent elevation of the wire line B by this distanc will pull the levers 30 within the drag collar 43 to release the pin 2|], fire the cartridge l3, and ignite the combustible charge It]. Assurance is thus obtained of setting the packer at the intended point in the well casing.

As explained above, upward movement of the wire line B effects setting of the well packer in the well bore. Under some circumstances, it is desired to remove the apparatus from the well casing, after it has been lowered therewithin,

without setting the packer. To prevent the upward movement from setting th packer, the drag device 4| can be locked in its upper, ineffective position by a mechanism now to be described.

The upper drag collar 42 includes an upwardly extending sleeve portion 50 having a recess 5| terminating in an upwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 52. The wire line socket 36 has a plurality of generally radial holes 53 extending therethrough, each of these holes receiving a ball detent or look 54. Inward movement of the balls is limited by their engagement with a retainer sleeve 55 disposed within the upper end of the rope socket 36 and held initially in an upward position by a shear pin 56 extending between the sleeve 55 and the socket 36. This sleeve 55 has a lower reduced diameter portion 51 engageable by the balls 54 when the shear pin 56 is intact, to permit the balls to move radially inwardly out of the upper collar recess 5|. The retainer sleeve 55 has an adjacent larger diameter portion 58, which, when disposed opposite the balls 54, holds them outwardly within the upper collar recess, 5|, in order to prevent relative downward movement of the drag device 4| along the setting apparatus, and thereby precluding release of the latches 30 from the firing pin 20. The small and large portions 51, 58 are interconnected by a tapered cam surface 51a for forcing the balls 54 outwardly when the sleeve 55 is lowered within the rope socket 36.

When the lower drag collar 43 is in engagement with the stop ring 46, th recess 5| in the upper drag collar 42 is disposed in transverse alignment with the balls 54. In this position, the balls can project outwardly through the openings 53 to an extent insuring their disposition in the recess 5|, and subsequent engagement by its tapering shoulder 52. Outward movement of the balls 54 is limited by their engagement with a ring 59 encompassing the upper portion of the wire line socket 36 in the region of the holes 53. The balls may extend outwardly through openings 60 in this ring.

When the drag device 4| moves relatively downward during its initiation of a bridge plug setting operation, the inclined shoulder 52 en'- gages the balls 54 and moves them inwardly within the radial holes 53, as permitted by the lower portion 51 of-the retainer sleeve 55. However, in the event it is desired to prevent opera tion of the apparatus, a go-devil 6| (Fig. 3) is dropped down the wire line B into engagement with the upper end of the retaining sleeve 55, shearing the pin 56 and forcing the sleeve 55 downwar .y, causing the cam 51a to force the balls out rdl and placing the larger diameter portion as of the sleeve opposite the locking balls Mi. The balls are thus pushed outwardly into the recess at in the sleeve portion of the upper drag collar and cannot be forced inwardly by the tapered shoulder 52, in view of their engagement with the enlarged diameter portion 58 of the retainer sleeve B (Fig. 3). Accordingly, upward movement of the wire line B will then move the upper drag collar 2 with it, since the balls 54 are held by the retainer sleeve 55 in engagement with the tapered shoulder 52, enabling the entire apparatus to be withdrawn from the well bore without being actuated.

The inventors claim:

1. In well apparatus: a well device adapted to be lowered in a well bore on a running-in string; means for operating said well device including a member adapted for connection to said running-in string; a drag device adapted to engage the wall of the well bore and movable relatively down along said member to effect operation of said ope-rating means; lock means for coupling said drag device to said member; means disposed initially in inefiective position and adapted to engage and hold said lock means in coupling position; and means movable down said running-in -ing into engagement with said holding means for shifting said holding means to its effective position in engagement with said lock means to hold said lock means in position coupling said drag device to said member.

2. In well apparatus: a well device adapted to be lowered in a well bore on a running-in string; means ioroperating said well device including a member adapted for connection to said runhing-in string; a drag device adapted to engage the wallet the well bore and movable relatively down along said member to effect operation of said operating means; lock means for coupling said drag device to said member; means initially disposed in an upper ineffective position and adapted to engage and hold said lock means in coupling position; and means movable down said runningdn string into engagement with said holding means for shifting said holding means downwardly to a position engaging and securing said lock means in position coupling said drag device to said member.

3. In well apparatus: a well device adapted to be lowered in a well bore on a running-in string; means for operating said well device including a member adapted for connection to said runing-in string; a drag device adapted to engage the wall of the well bore and movable relatively down along said member to effect operation of said operating means; locking elements for coupling said drag device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position to allow movement of said locking elements to a position uncoupling said drag device from said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to a position engaging and holding said locking elements in their coupling position.

4. In well apparatus: a well device adapted to be lowered in a well bore on a running-in string;

means for operating said well device including a member adapted for connection to said running-in string; a drag device adapted to engage the wall or" the well bore and movable relatively down along said member to effect operation of said operating means; ball locking elements for coupling said drag device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position to allow movement of said locking elements to a position uncoupling said drag device from said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to a position engaging and holding said ball locking elements in their position coupling said drag device to said member.

5. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore on a running-in string; a device movable relatively along said member;

lock means for coupling said device to said member; means disposed initially in ineffective position and adapted to engage and hold said lock means in coupling position; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said holding means for moving said holding means into engagement with said lock means to hold said lock means in its coupling position securing said device to said member.

6. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore; a device movable relatively along said member; locking elements for coupling said device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member; releasable means initially securing said sleeve in an upper position to allow movement of said locking elements to a position uncoupling said device from said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to a position engaging and holding said locking elements in their coupling position.

'2. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore; a device movable relatively along said member; locking elements for coupling said device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member and having a cam surface; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position to allow movement of said locking elements to a position uncoupling said device from said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to cause its cam surface to engage and shift said locking elements outwardly to their position coupling said device to said member.

8. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore; a device movable relatively along said member; ball locking elements for coupling said device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member and having a cam surface; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position to allow movement of said locking elements to a position uncoupling said device from said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to cause its cam surface to engage and shift said ball looking elements outwardly to their position coupling said device to said member.

9. In. well apparatus: a member adapted to. be lowered in a-well bore; a device movable relatively-along said member; locking elements for coupling said device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member and having a lower surface engaseable with said elements to limit inward movement of said elements, said sleeve having a cam surface for forcing said elements outwardly to coupling position and anupper surface adapted to be disposed behind said elements to hold said elements in their outward position coupling said device, to said member; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position in which said elements are ineffective to couple said device to said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with said sleeve to, release. said releasable means and shift said sleeve: downwardly to cause its cam surface to engage and urge said locking elements outwardly to their coupling position and to, then dispose said upper surface behind said elements to retain said elements in their coupling position.

10. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore; a device movable relatively along said member; ball locking elements for coupling said device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member and having a lower surface engageable with said elements to limit inward movement of said elements, said sleeve having a cam surfacefor forcing said elements outwardly to couplingposition and an upper surface adapted to be disposed behind said elements to hold said elements in their outward position coupling said device to said member; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position in which said elements are inefiective to couple said device to said member; and means movable down said running-in. string into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to cause itscam surfaceto, engage and urge said ball lookingelements outwardly to their coupling position and to then, dispose said upper surface behind said elements to retain said elements in their coupling position.

11. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore; a drag device adapted to engage the wall of the well bore and movable relatively along said member; ball locking elements for coupling said drag device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member and having a lower surface engageable with said elements to limit inward movement of said elements. said. sleeve having BL'CMSHXIQCQIOI'IION! ing said. elements outwardly to coupling'pcsition.

and an upper surface adapted to. be disposed be.- hind said elements to hold said elements in their outward position couplingsaid drag device to said member; releasable means securing said sleeve in an upper position in which said elements are ineffective to couple said drag device to said member; and means movable down said running-in string into engagement with. said sleeve to release, said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to cause its; cam surface to engage and urge said ball locking elements outwardly to their coupling position and to then dispose said upper surface behind said elements to retain said elements in their coupling position.

12. In well apparatus: a member adapted to be lowered in a well bore; a drag device adapted to engage the wall of the well bore and movable relatively along said member; ball locking elements for coupling said drag device to said member; a sleeve disposed within said member and having a lower surface engageable with said elements to limit inward movement of said elements, said sleeve having a cam. surface for forcing said elements outwardly to coupling position and an upper surface adapted to be disposed behind said elements to, hold said elements in their outward position coupling said dragdevice to said member; releasable means securing; said sleeve in an upper position in which said elements are inefiective tocouple said drag device to said member; and a go-devil movable down said running-instring into engagement with said sleeve to release said releasable means and shift said sleeve downwardly to cause its cam surface to engage and urge said ball locking elements outwardly to their coupling position and to then dispose said upper surface behind said elements to retain said elements in their coupling position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,073,107 Johnston Mar. 9, 1937 2,155,322 McCullough Apr. 18, 1939 2,218,802 McCullough Oct. 22, 1940 2,328,309 Turechek et a1. Aug. 31, 1943 2,387,456 McDonald et a1. Oct. 23, 1945 2,577,068 Baker Dec. 4, 1951 

